PLEASE NOTE: The report described below reflects data collected in the following localities: Charlottesville, Danville, Fredericksburg, Lynchburg, Newport News, Norfolk, Richmond, Staunton and Waynesboro as well as Chesterfield, Franklin, Goochland, Isle of Wight, Loudoun, Orange, Prince William, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell and Washington counties. SEVERAL FACTORS CONTRIBUTE TO REASONS TROUBLED YOUTH DONŐT RECEIVE NEEDED HELP, SURVEY SHOWS CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., April 25 -- Regional differences in referral practices and perceptions about income and race are preventing many at-risk children and their families in Virginia from receiving needed help, a statewide study shows. Those were among central factors identified in the "Barriers to the Receipt of Community-Based Services Among At-Risk Youth in the State of Virginia" report based on data collected by the Center for Survey Research at the University of Virginia. The report, funded by a grant from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services and sponsored by the Washington County Office on Youth, was undertaken to determine why many young people entering Virginia's juvenile justice system have never participated in such prevention and intervention programs as Project Discovery, Head Start, Big Siblings or Boys/Girls Club. Service providers throughout Virginia indicated that a lack of knowledge of such programs by communities and referring professionals was a major reason youth do not obtain needed help. "The study shows some referral sources, such as social service personnel, court service officials and the medical community are clearly under-utilized," said Peggy Plass, a U.Va. sociologist who was principal investigator of the research project. Regional differences in referral patterns were also uncovered in the survey. For example, youth in Southwest Virginia are much more likely to be referred to intervention programs by professional sources than by personal sources. "Children there are rarely referred by family sources. We attribute that to the cultural tradition of self-sufficiency found in the area," said Rory Carpenter, director of the Charlottesville/Albemarle Children and Youth Commission, who worked with U.Va. sociologists in the survey's design. Race and gender play a significant role in how troubled or at-risk youth are referred to such programs, the study shows. Minority youth and girls are more likely to be referred by families and friends, whereas white youth and boys are more likely to be referred by institutions such as schools, courts or social service agencies. Personnel in the statewide Offices on Youth are interpreting the gender differences in referral practices in different ways. "The fact that families and friends play an active role in referring minority youth and girls to intervention programs is positive, but it is also problematic because these groups are not referred often by professional sources. The findings may indicate that formal referral sources, such as teachers and counselors, are not adequately channeling either minority youth or girls into programs that might help them. The high percentage of minority youth referred to intervention programs by personal sources rather than formal sources may indicate that agencies or institutions under-refer minority youth," Carpenter said. The survey also showed that minority youth are more likely than white youth to participate in intervention programs through involvement with the juvenile court system; white youth tend to participate in programs because they view them as fun. Youth who had not been involved in intervention programs had negative images of them, whereas those who had participated had positive images. Youth and families also do not participate in programs because of a variety of economic factors, the survey showed. Service providers, who perceived a lack of secure funding or the inability to secure new revenue sources for their programs, felt they were not able to provide necessary intervention services for at-risk youth. Service providers also expressed concern that some youth are prevented from participating in programs because their families narrowly fail financial eligibility standards. Both parents and service providers indicated that families often felt they could not participate because of inability to pay for transportation, child care or program fees. Youth, including those who were currently in intervention programs and those who had been in the juvenile court system, as well as parents and service providers were surveyed in a three-step process to collect data for the report. Office on Youth staff conducted 40 focus groups in 19 Virginia locations during the first phase, and youth and parents residing in 21 localities were mailed written surveys by Office on Youth staff during the second stage. Service providers throughout Virginia completed a mailed survey during the final stage of data collection. About 550 youth, including 401 who were in intervention programs, and 204 service providers were surveyed. Although parents participated in focus groups, only 21 completed surveys. Office on Youth officials have developed three sets of recommendations in response to the report. To help overcome family economic barriers and to secure program funding, they plan on holding grant-writing workshops and developing interagency sources of grant information. In addition, they hope to encourage business, churches and civic organizations to provide scholarships for disadvantaged youth to participate in such programs as Boy and Girl Scouts. They also plan to increase awareness of intervention programs by holding training sessions for teachers, school guidance counselors and agency professionals. In addition, they plan on holding school and neighborhood workshops for parents and will provide cultural sensitivity training for service providers. To improve the image of intervention programs, officials hope to include youth and parents in the design and publicity of services. They will also strive to make programs more appealing to youth and are considering offering tangible rewards to those who complete such programs. "We feel the report uncovered significant information about how youth are being left out of needed or helpful programs. We view the findings as the beginning of renewed efforts to remove barriers to at-risk children receiving the help they need," said Carpenter. The study reflects a partnership among the Virginia Delinquency Prevention and Youth Development Association, representing Offices on Youth throughout Virginia, U.Va. researchers and the University's Center for Survey Research. ### April 24, 1995 FOR MORE INFORMATION on the survey findings, contact Peggy Plass at (804) 924-6512, office. For reactions to the report, contact representatives at the following regional Offices on Youth: Lynn Steinberg, director, Danville Office on Youth, (804) 799-5166; Franklin County Office on Youth, (703) 483-7209; Karen Ford, director, Lynchburg Youth Services, Inc., (804) 845-8039; Pam Hendrickson, director, Russell County Office on Youth, (703) 889-8021; Robin Free Hensley, director, Scott County Office on Youth, (703) 386-9851; Norma Teaters, director, Smyth County Youth Office, (703) 783-6814; Diahann DeBreaux, director, Staunton Office on Youth, (703) 332-3806; Erlene Branch, director, Tazewell County Office on Youth, (703) 988-7541; Katy Gifford, director, Washington County Office on Youth, (703) 676-6207; Carol Blair, director, Waynesboro Office on Youth, (703) 943-4334; Rory Carpenter, director, Charlottesville/Albemarle County Commission on Children and Youth, (804) 971-9550; Beth Girone, director, Rappahannock Area Office on Youth (Fredericksburg, Caroline County, King George County, Spottsylvania County, Stafford County), (703) 372-1149; Laura Plybon, youth services coordinator, Goochland County Office on Youth, (804) 556-5354; Ann Miles, supervisor, Loudoun County Office on Youth, (703) 777-0398; Ruth Ann Paisley, director, Orange County Office on Youth, (703) 672-5484; Susan Robinson, director, Prince William County Office on Youth, (703) 792-6095; William E. Smith, human services administrator, Richmond Youth Services Commission, (804) 780-7482; Barbara L. Bennett, director, Chesterfield County Office on Youth, (804) 796-7100; Linda E. Porter, youth services coordinator, Isle of Wight Office on Youth, (804) 357-3191; Mary Allen, director, Newport News Youth Services, (804) 247-8800; or Stephen Blair, project coordinator, Norfolk Office on Youth, (804) 441-5108. A copy of the reportŐs executive summary is attached.